Spay/Neuter

Why should I spay or neuter my pet?

Female pets are “spayed” and male pets are “neutered”. This is sometimes also called “altering”. This surgery makes them unable to reproduce so your pet will not contribute to the problem of pet overpopulation. There are many more puppies, kittens and other pets born every day than there are homes to care for them. Those that are without homes suffer from disease and malnutrition and are put to death because no one wants them. Plus, spaying and neutering can help to reduce behavior problems in your pet. Altered dogs and cats are less likely to fight with other animals and are less inclined to spray and urinate in the house. There are also health benefits to spaying and neutering. The possibility of certain types of cancer is eliminated or greatly reduced in animals that have been altered.

I want to spay or neuter my pet but can’t afford it. Can Pet Haven help?

Yes. Pet Haven and 5 veterinary clinic partners will pay 10 – 100% of the cost of spay/neuter surgery for the pets of qualified low income families. The amount of the subsidy is based on a sliding scale depending on your income and the number of persons in your family. The surgery will be performed at one of the 5 partner vet clinics which are located in various parts of the Twin Cities. Please download and complete the application. (MS Word / PDF) If you have questions, please call 952-996-9292 and leave a message or e-mail your question to spayneutersubsidy@yahoo.com. If your total annual household income for the # of persons in your household exceeds the amount listed in the able below, we cannot provide subsidized spay/neuter for your pet. Please go to the websites of MnSNAP or Kindest Cut, organizations which provide low-cost spay/neuter to those in need, to schedule a surgery for your pet at a cost that should be well within your means.

In addition to Pet Haven, there are two organization in Minnesota that offer low-cost spay/neuter. Follow the links below for more information.
MnSNAP
Kindest Cut

What is the Spay/Neuter Initiative (SNI)?

Pet Haven received a very generous donation earmarked to be used to help reduce the overpopulation of companion animals and to help families keep their pets by providing low-cost spay and neuter services. The donor’s hope was that the funds be used to reach animals not already being served by Pet Haven’s adoption program. Pet Haven used this donation as the “seed money” to start its own low-cost spay/neuter outreach and to offer grants to humane and rescue groups to assist with their spay/neuter efforts.

I work with a humane society. Can we get a spay/neuter grant from Pet Haven?

Pet Haven’s SNI grants are available to 501(c)3 and other non-profit organizations concerned with the welfare of animals. Your organization must apply for the grant and your application must be approved by Pet Haven’s Board of Directors. Pet Haven’s mission focuses on cats and dogs and we anticipate that most of the grants will be awarded to similarly focused groups. However, applications from groups that work with other small animals will also be considered.
Organizations that participate in any of the following activities do not qualify for these grants: breeding animals; using or releasing animals for use in medical or other experimentation; and organizations that discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or national origin in policy or practice.

The grant must be used for spay and neuter surgical procedures. The funds may also be used for pre-operative examinations, pre-operative and intra-operative pain management, and emergency veterinary care related to the surgery. This will enable grantees to use their own funds to provide additional services, such as vaccinations and microchipping, for the same animals that are being altered.

If you have questions regarding the grants for rescue groups and humane societies, or would like to receive a grant application, please contact the Pet Haven SNI Project Manager at Admin@PetHavenMN.org or by calling (952) 831-3825 and leaving a message.